Multicultural Education Scholar Gloria Ladson-Billings to Speak April 27, 28

Gloria Ladson-Billings, president of the American Education Research Association (AERA) and one of the nation's most prominent scholars in multicultural education will speak to faculty members at both the University of Georgia and Clarke Central High School (CCHS) April 27 and 28.

Ladson-Billings, a professor of education at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, is the author of The Dreamkeepers: Successful Teachers of African-American Children and Crossing Over to Canaan: The Journey of New Teachers in Diverse Classrooms, two keystone books on diversity and multicultural education. Both books trace the lives of eight teachers learning successful methods to teach multicultural education. Ladson-Billings shares educators' unique teaching techniques that incorporate maintaining and fostering children's cultural identity.

The visit by the eminent scholar is part of a partnership between the UGA College of Education CCHS to open and advance conversations among educators and community members about diversity.

Ladson-Billings will discuss her Dreamkeepers book and other issues related to diversity at CCHS in an event titled Dinner Dialogue for Diversity on Thursday, April 27 from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Registration has ended for this event.

Ladson-Billings will make a presentation to UGA students and faculty, on Friday, April 28 at 9:30 a.m. in Room G-5 at Aderhold Hall. She will discuss her latest book, her experiences working in schools and communities, and ways in which educators can prepare for teaching in an ever-growing multicultural nation.

There will be two events, one at CCHS and another at UGA, to allow faculty and students to discuss Ladson-Billings books in preparation for her visit.

CCHS Principal Maxine Easom will lead the first Dinner Dialogue for Diversity on April 20 at Clarke Central, in which CCHS and UGA faculty and students will discuss Ladson-Billings' Dreamkeepers and other issues related to diversity. Registration has ended for this event.

However, UGA faculty and students can discuss how researchers' work intersects with Ladson-Billings' writings on diversity issues in education in an April 21 session in Room 116 of Aderhold Hall in the College of Education. Ladson-Billings' latest book, Crossing Over Canaan, will be the focal reading for this discussion.

Ladson-Billings was inducted into the National Academy of Education in 2005. She is the former editor of the American Educational Research Journal and has won numerous awards including the H.I. Romnes faculty fellowship, the Spencer Post doctoral fellowship, the Palmer O. Johnson Outstanding research award and the 2004 recipient of the George and Louise Spindler Award for ongoing contributions in educational anthropology.

Friday, April 14, 2006
Writer: Angela Hains, 706/542-5889, anicole7@uga.edu
Contact: Jenny Penney Oliver, 706/542-6446, jpo@uga.edu